Sugaring paste is simply made out of sugar, water, & lemon juice. It's even edible!
Wax has many chemical ingredients, mostly resins & preservatives.

Sugaring paste is applied at body temperature & will not burn your skin.
Hot wax must be heated to a high degree in order to become liquified. The heat causes swelling in the tissues which makes hair difficult to remove. Using this amount of heat has the potential to cause burning & scarring.

Sugar paste can be cleaned up easily with water. You will never leave a Sugaring treatment feeling sticky.
Since wax contains resins, chemical solvents are required to remove it's residues.

Sugar cannot adhere to live skin cells. Live skin cells are wet & because Sugar Paste is water soluble, it will not adhere to live skin cells. This means less discomfort for you & less trauma to your skin. Sugaring does remove dead skin cells - so as the hair is removed your skin is also getting exfoliated! It is gentle enough to go over the same area several times to extract stubborn hairs without causing skin damage or irritation. No tweezers needed.
Wax has been known to remove more than just the hair, since it can adhere directly to live skin cells, which makes waxing more painful & irritating. Wax cannot be applied to an area more than twice at the most. Tweezers are commonly used to get the leftover hairs the wax missed.

A single glob of Sugar Paste can be used over & over on different parts of your body then discarded after your treatment. It is never used on any other person.
When using a hot wax pot, the practitioner must use a clean & unused stick each time to dip into the wax for each strip applied. This creates more waste and more chance for contamination.

Sugaring Paste is hypoallergenic & non-comedogenic. Sugar naturally helps control cross contamination & bacteria cannot breed in the tub of sugar.
Cross contamination in a waxing room is always a danger, especially since bacteria will breed inside a tub of wax.

Using the Advanced Sugaring Technique the paste wraps around the hair making it pliable, while seeping into the hair follicle lubricating the hair to make the extraction more complete & gentle. The hair is removed out of the follicle only in the natural direction of growth, which helps to extract the hair intact.
One of the most common problems waxers face is early regrowth due to broken hairs. Waxing can leave 15% - 30% breakage behind. This problem is usually caused not by the esthetitian, but by the wax used. Since wax hardens on the hair, it has the tendency to break it off at the surface, rather than pull it out.

The Advanced Sugaring Technique requires about 1/16 inch of hair for successful extraction (1/8 inch tends to be optimal). Wax products require that you grow the hair out at least 1/4 inch before your next waxing.

After a number of Sugaring treatments the hair follicle begins to deplete. The hair grows in more refined each time. Because Sugar can extract such short hair, it is possible to extract the hair in the early growth phase, which can lead to permanency. You will see superior results in just a few treatments.

(*Information taken from Alexandira Professional Body Sugaring Reference Guide)

Click here for more info about Body Sugaring at the Beauty Temple

Dry scalp?
Dry, flaky scalp is really common this time of year and is not to be confused with dandruff which is fungal and produces thick yellowish flakes. A good home remedy for treating dry scalp is to loosen the flakes of dead skin cells with a comb, brush, or a vigorous scalp massage. After exfoliating the scalp, you may want to lean over your bathtub and fluff out the flakes from the hair. Next, use jojoba oil or coconut oil, to give yourself a nice scalp massage as you hydrate and treat the scalp. It's best to leave the oil on overnight or at least for an hour or so before washing your hair. Doing this easy treatment once a week is usually sufficient for maintaining a happy healthy scalp.

Dry ends?
If so, try putting a very small amount of coconut oil or jojoba oil in the palm of your hand and apply it to the ends of your hair. Just leave it in. A very, very little goes a long way. If you have fine hair, the oil might weigh your hair down too much and look greasy. You might want to try this at night and wash your hair in the morning.

I usually put a tiny bit of oil on the ends of my hair the day I wash it after it's dry. It makes my hair look a little bit more 'lived in' instead of a more 'fluffy' look. Different people/different hair types have different preferences though. See what works for you. Using oil  helps keep the ends of my long hair in better shape in between haircuts too. Having dry ends may also be a sign that you are due for a haircut.

FOR SKIN: Facial Steams
Facial steams are a great way to open your pores to more deeply cleanse the face. They are also wonderfully relaxing and rejuvenating. Steam inhalation is also great for decongesting the upper respiratory system during a cold or flu.
 
It is best to start with a clean face. Boil one pint of well water or bottled water (you don't want to be inhaling treated water). Pour into a quart sized, heat proof bowl and place on a kitchen table or desk. Add any other ingredients at this time if you choose (see below). Sit down and slowly lower your head closer to the bowl. Be careful not to get your face too close, the steam can be hot. Using a bath towel, make a 'tent' over your head and the bowl so that the steam stays in. Remain under the steam tent for 20 min (I like to listen to relaxing music, a book on tape, or just meditate on my breathing). Now that your pores are open, it is a great time to do a masque for a deep cleaning (try Uspa's Facial Refining Mud). If a masque isn't in the cards, just rinse, tone, moisturize, and enjoy!
 
Some ideas for ingredients to add:
3 chamomile or mint tea bags
1-2 drops of essential oil:
            mint: to perk you up
            lavender or chamomile: soothing for skin & the spirit
            citrus, sage, thyme or oregano: for oily and/or pimpled skin
            licorice or fennel: for dry and/or mature skin


Here's a festive winter twist - add small sprigs of fresh cut greens! No, not lettuce or kale! Cedar, pine, spruce, juniper, or fir! The heat of the water will help to release their fragrant natural oils - mmmmm.....
For a real treat, arrange winter greens and candles around your bath tub then toss a bit right in the tub! There's nothing quite like the smell of fresh winter greens in your home.

We all are familiar with the concept of coffee as a beverage, but did you know that it can be beneficial for the skin too?!? Yes, coffee can actually help perk up your skin too!

The caffeine that is in coffee has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and stimulating properties. It works by encouraging circulation and blood flow, which helps remove toxins, fat and excess fluids.

"Caffeine is now found in some face creams and serums. The acid in it functions as an antioxidant. Because several studies have found that it may protect against sun-induced skin cancer, it's a great extra boost to your usual sunscreen and antioxidants. Because caffeine also constricts blood vessels, it has been shown to help reduce skin redness.

In eye gels, caffeine helps deflate puffy skin because it constricts blood vessels. It helps drain excess blood and lymph fluid to help temporarily deflate puffy eyes and reduce the appearance of dark circles.

Nothing cures cellulite or eliminates it entirely. The best we can do is make it look better for a few hours. Caffeine is the main ingredient in anti-cellulite lotions. It works by temporarily dehydrating fluid from fat cells, making them look smaller, according to dermatologists.

A number of scrubs contain ground coffee beans or seeds as an exfoliate. There are also fragrances and lip balms with coffee or mocha, an invigorating scent. Smelling coffee can be a stimulant and make you alert, because you associate the smell with the invigorating effects of drinking coffee. It's a learned response." 
(Source: www.cbsnews.com/2100-500169_162-3087624.html)

I've been really enjoying the effects of using my Coffee & Spice Sugar Scrub recently in the shower. I'm not a coffee drinker, though I do enjoy the occasional mocha. I'm happy to have found a fabulous way to enjoy the aroma of coffee and some of it's "perky" benefits.

Autumn makes me happy!
I LOVE this time of year. It's time to slow down, get cozy, and nurture ourselves! How do you nurture yourself? Do you take enough time out of your busy schedule to nurture yourself? If not, then perhaps you are like the many of us who have busy lives and fully intend to take time out for self care but struggle to make it happen. Well, I have good news.....now is a good time to to start! The season of Fall can support you in nurturing yourself. The energy of the Fall season is all about slowing down, harvest, and nourishment. How can you put these elements into practice within your own life during this time of year? Think small. Think simple. Here one idea: instead of starting your day with the long To Do List in your head before you even fully wake up, slow down.....try the simple act of taking a few intentional deep breaths upon waking in the morning while you think about three things you're grateful for. What simple act can you think of to incorporate into your day that will be nurturing?

Fall is harvest time. One of the definitions of harvest is: the result or product of an action. Actions can be big, and actions can be small; but make your actions intentional and you will reap the benefits. What I mean is, if you make an effort to take some kind of action toward nurturing yourself more, whether big or small, you will find more peace and balance in your life - reap THOSE benefits baby! ha ha

The message of the season; take the time to nourish your body and soul.


I will make time this season to nourish my body and my soul by:

- Getting back into the routine of a monthly massage

- Pampering my skin and spirit with a facial

- Taking one evening a week to do something crafty

- Taking time to JUST sit and watch the leaves fall

- Enjoying the process of making a nourishing meal and eating it SLOWLY

   

How will you make time this season to nourish your body and soul?

How To Heal Dry Cracked Heels      
I come across a fair share of dry cracked heels in my line of work - especially in the Summer. They can be stubborn, persistent and even sometimes painful. Check out this article to find out what causes dry cracked heels and how to treat them at home naturally.
www.drycrackedheelstreatment.com

My favorite thing to prescribe for healing super dry feet and hands is Uspa's Healing Hands; hand & foot cream. It's something I personally keep by my bedside and use on a nightly basis. I've had many people have great results using this exquisitely silky and deeply penetrating cream. Ask to sample it next time you're at the Beauty Temple....you'll see what I mean.